The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-02-12

The writer visited the Youngstown mine
ON Thursday morning, and was fortunate
enough TO arrive just in time To go under
ground with Capt. Ball. The geniel cap
tain first presented the reporter with d
suit OF miners clothing, including an oil
cloth hat and candle, which was donned,
making him appear as a Cornish miner
OF the most approved style. Not much
OF the workings of the mine are visible ON
the surface and one will form a very
meagre idea oi the vast cavity under
meath. We proceeded to the mouth of
shaft began IA slow descent ON long per
pendicular ladder until the first level was
reached. Here was found many rooms
and drifts, the workings oi which
WE'RE PICTURED AND EXPLAINED
10 the entire satisfaction of the reporter.
Not much work is being done ON this level
just at present; "a small force only being
employed in making way for the sinking
of pit To test the quality OF the ore in
the extreme east end of the mine After
being shown all of the points OF interest
here we again took the ladder route for the
dark depths below On, on down into
the very bowels Of the earth we went, the
captain in the lead Finally the second
level was reached and here is where the
active mining isgoing on. On going down
the reporters vision was somewhat at
FAULT caused by SO sudden a change from
day light 20 darkness, but after being
down a short time he was able to
PIERCE THE DARKNESS
and observe Co certain degree the great
ness of the property and the very efficient
manner in which il is wrought, under the
captainship of Mr. BAH. Miners candles
cleaning through the darkness from be-
low, from above and from all sides; the
ringing sound ofhammers and drills, tram
cars gliding back and forth occupied the
mind Of the writer as he watched the
proceedings with intense interest. He
was suddenly aroused from his reverie by
the cry OF 'fire, ON the raise, stope No.
2, two holes" as IL echoed and re-echoed
through the corridors Of iron. This was
interpreted by the captain as n signal
that "A blast was about 90 be touched off
and for the miners to seek
APLACE or SAFETY.
The captain and his protege assembled
with a crowd OF sturdy miners near Il
huge pillar OF iron ore They did not have
long 60 wait. The blasts soon went off
with deefening roar, shaking the ground
as il by an earthquake and scattering
the loosened ore in a promiscuous man
ncr. At present n working force OF only
ninety-five men is employed and about
two hundred tons Of ore hoisted TO the
surface every twenty-four hours, which
is raised through one shaft. The re-
porter followed the captain through
many Slopes and drifts and was told
many interesting things about mines and
mining lam now working four Slopes" ("
said the captain, Give is the capacity Of
THE PRESENT HOSTING FACILITIES,
but il il was necessary could work four
teen Slopes in less than month. Many
mining men won't believe this, but IL is
true nevertheless. You see" continued
he, "my object is TO get the mine in good
shape and also have IL "A secure as pos
sble, and i'm planning the underground
workings have arranged il SO that there
will be- pillar directly in front Of and
across from each opening or arch and
altcrnntcd all through the mine, thus
making IL doubly safe. !" What was at
one time supposed to be- the foot wall,
ON the north, is likely to turn out 90 be
the hanging wall the foot wall not yet
encountered The vein is known 90 he
PIT feet wide and il traced for distance OF
TWELVE HUNDRED FEET,
three hundred feet of which isnow active
ly wrought. The depth OF this mammoth
vein Of iron ore isyet unknown. Strange
as il may seem this is an exceptionally
dry mine. One would naturally suppose,
being situated in IA swarfp, much trouble
would be had from surface water, but the
only water encountered IN very small
living streams far down in the mine. This
water IL easily taken care Of, being
directed into sump and from there
pumped TO the surface. IL is the inten-
tion of the management TO send out
60,000 tons Of ore next season.